Cross Campus 10.3.13

Mixing money and politics. The next mayor of New York City may be funding his campaign with contributions from Yale alumni. Frontrunner Bill de Blasio was spotted at the Yale Club Wednesday at a morning fundraiser, part of a number of large-donor events he has held recently. It remains to be seen whether any generous alum will be so kind as to offer him a $250 million donation.

Froyo fever. There appears to be no end to the number of frozen yogurt stores the local economy can support — a second Froyoworld has opened up in East Haven at 320 Main Street. Flavors offered at this new East Haven counterpart include “strawberrylicious tart,” “pumpkin pie,” “apple pie a la mode” and “pomegranate razzle sorbet.”

Crisis averted? Around two dozen students simulated the recent crisis over chemical weapons in Syria during the “Religion, Middle East Politics, and Conflict Resolution” course taught by Sallama Shaker at the Divinity School. Students took the roles of various countries with stakes in the Syrian civil war and attempted to create a resolution agreement. Regrettably, however, even a classroom of Yale students was unable come to a solution — the class ran out of time before passing a draft of a resolution.

Healing hearts. Something wonderful has taken hold at the Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital. With support from music and art therapists, and under the guidance of award-wining poet-playwright Aaron Jafferis, pediatric patients are taking to the creative mediums to express their emotions. This year marks the decade anniversary of the Arts for Healing festival, which runs from Oct. 2 to Oct. 6. Along with classes and exhibits, one of the performance programs is an award-winning hip-hop play called “How to Break” about a teenage breakdancer diagnosed with leukemia.

Opera is the New Black. Black and orange balloons scattered all around campus carried this pithy slogan. The balloons were placed in dining halls and residential colleges by the Met Opera at Yale to advertise their new season, which begins this Saturday. Slated for this coming year are Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Puccini; tickets are free for those with a Yale ID and a penchant for classical art forms.

This day in Yale history. 1980. One in four, maybe more? The Yale Admissions Office released figures revealing that one in four students admitted were legacies. Critics questioned whether the move was part of a ploy to increase alumni donations.